The Bondi war chest has won out again with the Roosters now firmly in the driver’s seat to win Brandon Smith’s signature for the 2023 season, as the tricolours beat out several NRL rivals thanks to their premiership promises.
Brandon Smith’s future has been decided; after a coast-long tour of nearly a half-dozen NRL clubs, the Storm hooker will be heading north starting 2023 to link up with the Sydney Roosters.
Melbourne’s feisty hooker-cross-ball-playing lock still has his current club’s deal to look over, but a quiet meeting with Trent Robinson appears to have swayed the New Zealand international’s head. The Sporting Base understands Sydney has even won the race with a cheaper deal than some rivals, instead using premiership hopes as a paperweight.
One deal Smith is turning down is a three-year, $2.4m offer from the Dolphins.
On top of the Redcliffe club’s rich carrot, Smith was offered deals from the Cowboys and Titans, both of whom are on the hunt for long term hooking options. Melbourne is also expected to put something together for the 25-year-old over the coming days, with the Kiwi giving them right of reply.
Unless some eleventh-hour decision strikes, however, Brandon Smith will spend just one more season in Melbourne before becoming Sydney’s biggest signing since Cooper Cronk and Sonny Bill Williams.
Smith’s impending move to the Roosters — a year down the track, remember — will also allow him to return to the number nine jersey full time, an ambition the New Zealand star has not been quiet about since his several stints at lock this year.
Melbourne’s long-term hooker pick looks to be wunderkind, Harry Grant.
With Sydney losing long-term rake Jake Friend, however, the number nine jersey is wide open at Bondi. Robinson is said to have sold Smith this appetising proposal, and sees him as his main strike hooker, mixing Sam Verrills into the equation off the bench as a dual 9-14 rotation that has become so prevalent in the modern game.
If ‘Hectic Cheese’ leaves the Storm, he will join a mass exodus heading north from Melbourne that includes Josh Addo-Carr, Nicho Hynes, and Dale Finucane. Felise Kaufusi is also set to depart the club to take up a mega three-year deal with the Dolphins the year after next.
At the Roosters, Robinson has started talks to lock Joey Manu down on a new, long-term contract. Negotiations will begin with Angus Chrichton, Siosiua Taukeiaho, and Lachlan Lam soon.
